**Russia Sends Top General to Kursk Oblast**
Russia has sent one of its top generals, General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, to organize the country’s defense in Kursk Oblast. This comes after a renewed Ukrainian attack on Russian forces in the region.
**Ukrainian Attack**
The Ukrainian troops launched an attack on Russian forces in Kursk Oblast, which is believed to be part of Moscow’s plan to retake the region before Donald Trump takes office and possible negotiations begin.
**Russian Claims**
The Russian Defense Ministry has claimed that Ukrainian forces were stopped near Berdin, a settlement along a road leading northeast to the city of Kursk. They also alleged that the primary units of the Ukrainian forces were destroyed.
**General Yevkurov’s Background**
General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov has been serving as the Kremlin’s deputy defense minister and was tasked with heading Russia’s border defenses and leading Moscow’s mercenary projects in Africa. He was sent to Kursk Oblast hours after Ukraine began its maneuvers on January 5.
**Recent Fighting in Kursk Oblast**
Ukrainian troops made a surprise incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, capturing about 1,300 square kilometers of territory. Although Kyiv has since lost control of half of the initially seized area, fighting in the region remains intense.
**Other Developments**
Russia launched 38 Shahed-type attack drones and unidentified dummy drones against Ukraine overnight, with 28 shot down and 10 lost in the airspace. Small Russian units are attempting to advance around Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, but the town itself is not threatened at the moment.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine continues to maintain a buffer zone on Russian territory, actively destroying Russian military potential there.
**Additional News**
* A French army official confirmed that several dozen Ukrainian soldiers serving in the 155th “Anne of Kyiv” Mechanized Brigade deserted while undergoing military training in France.
* Law enforcement agents are investigating Serhiy Zvyagintsev, the interim head of Ukraine’s State Customs Service, over suspicions that he failed to declare a home near Kyiv.
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